Princess Anne has provided a rare glimpse into her life beyond royal duties during her recent two-day visit to South Africa.
The 74-year-old Princess Royal revealed her passion for sailing while speaking to a group of young women aspiring to join the Royal Cape Yacht Club’s entry for the Cape2Rio race.
Jennifer Burger, manager of the sailing academy at the RCYC in Cape Town, recounted Anne’s words to the girls: “She told them, ‘You’re all going to have to learn to live together on the boat.’ She also mentioned that she was never allowed to sail dinghies and has relied on windsurfing for fitness.”
This visit was part of the conclusion of her tour, during which Anne also explored the Desmond and Leah Tutu Legacy Foundation, dedicated to preserving the memory of the former Archbishop of Cape Town, who received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1984 for his opposition to apartheid.
In her capacity as President of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, Anne unveiled a new memorial honoring over 1,700 predominantly Black South Africans who lost their lives in World War I between August 3 and 14, 1914, and who have no known graves. This memorial is named the Cape Town Labour Corps Memorial.
While Anne was initially set to be accompanied by her husband, Sir Timothy Laurence, he had to withdraw from the tour at the last minute due to recovery from a suspected torn ligament, which he reportedly sustained while working on Anne’s Gatcombe estate.
